Is This Goodbye?
by Worlds' Abyss
Summary: Haven was saved, the baddies were beat and everyone involved had found it time to celebrate! However, all good things come with change, and it seems that change may cause a divide that some are afraid to grasp. Funny, that it all started with Jaune just wanting some fresh air.
1. Chapter 1

**Honestly, I didn't even intend to write this, but I couldn't help but keep thinking about the whole internal conflict of RNJR coming together, bonding, and then disbanding within a few months. So I thought "Hey, why not try and see how you would write things!".**

**So I did.**

**I don't expect this to be longer than three chapters, four at most - mostly deciding on the ending more than anything.**

**Still, enjoy!**

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The dubbed 'battle of Haven' was over and the victors had found the will to celebrate easy to come across. Tough choices had to be made, however, with Cinder presumed dead and the relic of knowledge within their possession, spirits were understandably high.

Yet as the party raged on, well late into the evening, not everyone held the same enthusiasm. An excuse of wanting 'fresh air' was all one Jaune Arc needed to slip out of the door, the shouts of celebratory chants soon became muffled as the door shut.

Jaune Arc should've been happy, or he felt that he should be. Cinder, the woman who had robbed him of a partner, of his best friend, had finally been killed. That should've been more than enough, yet as he sat upon the steps of the porch, he knew that wasn't true.

It was an unsettling thought. For months he had trained every day, to the point where his muscles screamed in agony and yet he'd push on. Yet now it was over, his big 'climatic battle', over.

Yet Cinder, for the first time in months, wasn't the one who clouded his judgement. Instead that focus was on something new, someone else.

_Ruby._

They had been friends since the start of Beacon. The unbreakable duo; Vomit boy and Crater face, if not for Pyrrha, Ruby would have been his first choice for a partner for the sole reason of being his first friend.

Even more so that relationship had soared to new heights over the past few months; after Pyrrha . . . after the fall of Beacon, his team had been hurt; Nora, the bright-smiled ginger couldn't muster the energy nor the will to even get out of bed, Ren had secluded himself off to the outside world and Jaune . . . Well he had almost quit.

Hun. Quit. Give up on everything; a huntsmen, saving people, being a hero. What would have been the point when he couldn't even save his own partner.

Yet, at their darkest moment, along came a certain Rose.

It wasn't to say Ruby hadn't her own problems; her team was in shambles, the possibility of it being disbanded was a high likelihood and even her own partner had been ripped from her life, in a vastly difference sense.

They all hurt, every single one of them. Yet together, as Ruby begged them to join her to go to Haven, it had hurt a little bit less. The cracks were still there, none of them were the same wide-eyed students they had been before, but as the months of travelling came in, it hurt less to smile.

It felt like, somehow, a family once again, a way a team should feel. There were jokes, discussions and arguments, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Nora never seemed to stop smiling, Ren became more engaged in conversations and he . . .

_He moved on._

"Lien for your thoughts?" A solemn voice spoke up.

_Too many. _"So, you escaped too?" He hadn't needed to turn his head to recognize his brother in arms. Lie Ren further presented himself as he leaned upon a small wooden railing.

"Nora wanted to break out a bottle, something about 'truth or dare'?" Jaune couldn't help but shudder at the thought, thanking divine intervention for his early leave.

It wouldn't be for long however, Nora always found her prey, and Ren knew that as fact.

For the next few minutes they remained in silence. It had been something he appreciated about his discreet teammate, he knew the value of just having a silent moment, especially when one needed a break from the noise.

Still, he knew Ren hadn't only come out here to escape his energetic partner, he wouldn't make him a witness otherwise. He hadn't been as sneaky as he had thought it seemed, and Ren had the patience to outlast him until he spoke.

"I'm worried about our future."

"Understandable. We've been made aware of threats that seem beyond what could be expected of us." Understatement of the year. Maidens. Gods, Queen of Grimm; he would've called it something straight out of a fantasy novel if it hadn't come from Qrows' mouth.

"However, that isn't what you meant, was it?" It had earned a small chuckle from Jaune; one never could lie to one Lie Ren – something he swore had to do with his name, there was no other way!

"Our team. It's about to be broken again." He had almost said 'family' but the point wasn't lost upon his silent teammate.

"Ah, I see." It was a curt response, but the only one he really could expect. They were powerless to stop it after all, so why lash out and argue against it.

Ruby would .. . . Well she would join team RWBY again. Weiss, Blake and Yang had all returned and were bustling to get back into the action. Pair that with Osc-Ozpins ideals and plans, there was little doubt of what would happen.

It seemed so obvious now that the truth was out there. Maidens. A team consisting of four, young powerful huntresses. Ozpin wanted a dream-team to charge against Salem and he had been given the perfect platter.

Yet where would that leave him and his team? They'd be once again down a huntsmen, and from how they weren't allowed to be involved in certain 'meetings' it seemed prevalent that Ozpin didn't seem to have a real use for them anymore.

Would they be discarded to the side? Like garbage?

"Have you spoke to Ruby about this?" He hadn't needed to open his mouth, his silence told it all. They really hadn't had enough time; from Yang and Weiss joining up with the group, to the battle, to Blake coming back and now the party? There wasn't a single moment he could pull the young leader aside to have a word.

Even if he had, what would he say? _Hey Rubes! I know all your old teammates, and sister, are back but do you mind not teaming up with them and saving the world so my team doesn't fall apart? Thanks!_

It was selfish. He hated being selfish.

It really was cruel irony. Just as his team had begun to heal, here came along Ozpin to shake things up like he always did.

"Has Nora said anything?" He hadn't known what had urged him to speak, perhaps he wanted a moment to stop thinking or perhaps it was simply curiosity, either way it was unmistakeable to hear the sigh that Ren let out.

"I believe she's pieced it together." Nora was a smart girl, even more so an observant one, something she never got enough credit for. "She's been only spending time with Ruby inside, for reasons we both know." Probably to try and make Ruby consider all the fun times they had, that they _could_ have if they stayed on together.

Or perhaps it was also because Nora was afraid this was the last moment they'd spend alone together.

Gods, They must all look pathetic. Their friend was only just going to another team, yet here they were acting like they'd never see her again or that she had died.

However, was that even that far off? Ozpin seemed intent on having the maidens on his side, and team RWBY were perfect candidates. That kind of power required training, the type Pyrrha had been whisked away to begin. Those days he barely every saw his partner until she came in at the dead of night to sleep.

Who was to say that the same wouldn't happen here? Or that Ozpin wouldn't hide the girls away so they could be 'protected' while they grew stronger.

Anything could happen, and that uncertainty was gnawing upon his heart.

"I believe you should talk to Ruby." A repeated point, yet Ren seemed to stress it more than he had previously. "She probably has her own feelings on this subject too." Jaune knew this. He was just afraid of hearing what they were.

"And what if I don't like what she says?" He couldn't help but let the question slip out, almost like a silent beg. "The last thing we need is our friendship to break before we even split."

"Then we move on and accept her choice, as her friends."

"That simple, huh?" Jaune had to choke back the emotion in his voice. He wouldn't allow himself to get angry at the man, not when he spoke the truth, one he knew he had to accept.

The conversation fell silent thereafter, there wasn't much else to discuss between the two. Yet having someone be close by, to listen, as he spoke his thoughts had helped more than any aura semblance could.

"You have all night. Others will go to bed soon, that'll be your best chance." For the first time in the conversation, Jaune Arc turned around to face Lie Ren. Brothers, in a sense of the word, yet he occasionally felt closer than that.

He was right however, this would be the best chance. The only chance, as tomorrow they'd set off for Atlas.

"Thank you, Ren." He meant it, truly. It always helped to have someone to bounce your feelings and thoughts off, especially one who wouldn't judge you for them. Judging from the small smile on said huntsmen's lips, he felt the same.

"I'll head back before Nora breaks this cabin apart looking for me." As Ren opened the door once more, Jaune could almost feel him turn around to speak once more. "Stay safe, Jaune".

Alone with his thoughts once more, Jaune couldn't help but let out a sigh of contempt. Such should have been a time of celebration, a time to relax, yet even now his brain was doing loops. Yet Pyrrha, bless her soul, had taught him how a huntsmen can get a clear head when troubled.

_Blow off some steam_

Standing up, Jaune checked that Crocea Mors was sealed tightly upon his hip. The words of his friend rung true, in a few hours most would be asleep, thus he had some time to kill.

A dense forest surrounded the cabin, of course Qrow had done a brief perimeter sweep, but it hadn't meant the forest was empty, a blind man could tell the dangers the lurked within the deep brush. The type of danger he needed right now.

He had barely walked for more than a few minutes before he heard the echo of a howl in the distance, the growling stomps of various vicious Grimm stomping towards his position. Crocea Mors was drawn in an instant, already his mind prepared for battle.

Soon he'd talk to Ruby, and maybe then, he could accept the future.

A shadow darted from a nearby bush, crimson orbs bearing wide as the short-stacked Grimm attempted a killing blow, until his blade pierced the bone-like armour upon its' held, allowing it to slump onto the ground. _Until then, I'll follow your other bit of advice Ren._

He'll stay safe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2. Enjoy.**

**More info will be provided at the bottom of the chapter.**

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Qrow opened a nearby window to get some fresh air.

It had taken some time to get the brats to bed, due to a certain 'firecracker' drinking far beyond her weight. He couldn't blame them however, as much as he put on the show of the collected and 'cool' uncle, he was damn proud of what they achieved at Haven.

It hadn't meant that he was pleased with his current position though. Brush in one hand and a bag in another; with the teams upstairs, it left the only sole adult to clean the mess they had caused from their celebration.

Gods, this place was going to take all night, just his luck.

Oz wouldn't even help him! Something about not wanting to 'exert' the body of the kid he's stuck in, but Qrow knew the truth, he just wanted to slack off with the rest of them. Oh, he'd make Oz pay him pack for this, he wasn't cleaning some brats vomit as charity work.

However, he wasn't totally without company.

"You should probably head back to bed kiddo." An eyebrow had been raised when his adorable niece had wandered downstairs and fell on one of the lengthier couches an hour ago. "The brat probably won't be back for another few hours".

It wasn't an impossible task to guess what troubled his niece, he had seen the way her gaze lingered where the blonde brat stepped outside and subsequently, hadn't returned. She didn't reply however, not verbally, but the small shrug of her shoulders informed him of her decision.

_I'm not moving._

Of all things Ruby inherited from her mother, other than her style and face, was that same bleeding heart that. It was something he was simultaneously proud of and worried for, he'd already seen what fate that led her mother.

"Big day tomorrow, might need your rest." Still no reply, not unexpected but troubling, nonetheless.

Still, you didn't earn the title of 'coolest uncle' without having a few advantageous traits, such as being a trusted source to talk to. "Alright, what's got you bothered?".

His previous task of mopping vomit was discarded, _someone else's problem_, as he sat on a stool facing his youngest niece. He wasn't one to be blunt, if you had a problem you spoke about it, no point beating around the bush.

"I . . . " She paused, silver eyes scrunched as if she posed her question. "What we're about to do, it's important, isn't it?"

"It'd be remiss of me to not say that the fate of Remnant probably is at stake." He'd never wanted this. He did Oz's tasks so that Tai and his daughters could maybe live a peaceful live, or as peaceful as a huntsmen could get.

He'd curse his semblance, but even it had limits, and he didn't need the thought of his actions causing his nieces to be dragged into this mess.

"Oh." Ruby didn't seem surprised, but instead her tone fell flat.

Qrow almost cringed in response.

They remained in silence for a few minutes, the obnoxiously prudent _tick_ emitting from the clock on the wall seemed to taunt him, jeering at his response.

"Look kiddo it's . . . " Qrow never was one for speeches nor pep talks, his voice trailing off as his mind raced to find a point. "I know it's tough and a lot to take in, but that's why you've got your team, you don't have to go about this alone."

Plus, she'd have himself and Oz, whenever the poor kid eventually stopped resisting the wizard in his head.

"What team?" Her voice cut through his thoughts like a heated knife.

"Oh, I see: You mean the team that quit the moment their lives got tough? The team that abandoned our friends and home? The one's that abandoned _me?_" Aggression was rare to hear when it came to the young huntress but here, it seemed prevalent.

"Maybe I don't know all the facts, maybe they all had their own troubles and reasons!" He had a suspicion that Yang wasn't included when as she spoke. "It hurt uncle Qrow, I had only woken up when . . . when . . ."

When he delivered the news. Beacon was gone, Yang had all but given up on life and the rest of her team were gone without a word. The life she knew was gone.

"I still love them." It was hard not to smile at such a sappy saying, but he felt that it'd be inappropriate in the current situation. "I had to move on though; I had to find those that destroyed Beacon, the ones' who . . . who killed . . ." The cracks eventually shattered and with them, tears took their place.

Despite what cliché novels and films may portray, crying rarely was a beautiful thing, but it was passionate. He knew where her emotions came from however: Pyrrha Nikos, someone his niece considered a dear friend and who he was meant to protect as the next fall maiden.

"It wasn't your fault kid." His tone was hushed, his hand brushing against her short locks and allowing the teen to weep into his chest; ruined shirt be damned. He nonetheless allowed it, no doubt his niece tried kept her emotions in check to preserve her image as a strong leader, especially with her original team only back.

Everyone needed a break though, even leaders.

He sat there in silence, the muffled sobs of the young huntress as time passed by. It was almost a small mercy that the beforementioned teens seemed to have drank themselves into a stupor, lest they investigate the quiet whimpers.

_If anyone's to blame kiddo, it's me. _If only he had been a few moments quicker, perhaps Amber would've never been hurt, Nikos would've never had to make a choice and this whole situation would have never had come to fruition.

However, nothing ever came from dwelling on past mistakes.

"Things got better though." The hushed sobs slowly came to a stop as Ruby spoke, though her eyes still held the red rings as evidence. "I met up with the others and we were together again, it took a while but . . . "

She paused for a moment, a mixture of catching her breath and to perhaps carefully choose her next words. "It felt like I wasn't alone anymore, that I was back on a team that cared for each other."

There was the real kicker, and what Qrow could only assume was her reason for being awake so late at night. He was probably the most experienced when it came to teams breaking down, and the pain that came with it – God's knew he still dealt with the aftermath with Raven.

He'd spent some time with his niece and the other three brats; they were good kids, a little naive and prone to emotional outbursts, but he'd never blame them for that. Still, he could piece together the dilemma that his youngest niece was facing.

She'd have to pick between teams, and no matter her choice, one of them got hurt.

"Uncle Qrow, what should I do?" He'd be damned if her tone didn't tug at his heartstrings, or how she practically begged him for guidance to navigate her troubles. It only worsened as he stared down into that watery silver gaze; Ruby didn't have the soul to hurt a fly, yet this decision may ruin some relationships beyond repair.

He couldn't remain quiet forever, however.

"Look, I'm not excusing Yang or any of them of their actions." His niece was angry and upset, that made sense, and he could almost guess that deep down she knew she was being unfair in her judgement of the girls. "However, they all came back to you, that was_ their_ choice."

Ruby seemed to heed his words, or he could muster a guess by how she nodded in beat with his words. "What we're going to be going into is dangerous, and we need everyone to be at their best if we want a shot at this."

His advice slipped out with ease, not unexpected as it wasn't far off one of the speeches Oz' gave the girls not a few hours ago. His choice should have been easy; they needed the maidens, and his nieces' original team were perfect candidates, and Ozpin would want him to push Ruby to accepting RWBY as her staple team.

It should've been an easy choice.

_It wasn't._

He trusted Ozpin with his life, hell despite all the concerns he voiced, he still believed the former headmaster was probably the only way they could deal with Salem. However, his family always came first, even before Ozpin and his goals.

It's why he had burst into Ozpins office when he heard of Ruby being accepted two years early and demanded she be rejected. He wanted his nieces to have a normal life; he did the dirty work so they could live in a better world.

"But." Silver eyes snapped up; Ruby no doubt been expecting his advice to be over. "Teams only work to their fullest if they can rely and trust each other." Right now, doubt could be held if Ruby could work like that with her former teammates.

"I can't make the choice for you, kiddo." It probably wasn't what the huntress had wanted to hear, but it was needed to be heard. "Only thing I can say is; make sure that you talk with the others, let them know."

_Let the team you didn't pick know._

"Just know that I'll support your choice, even if it upsets Oz." It perhaps wasn't the smartest thing to say, there was always a chance the old wizard would be listening in; but seeing the smile return to his nieces' face was worth any risk.

He stood up, back crying out in ache from sitting so long. He kept one hand upon the head of the huntress however, ruffling it as he made his leave; "I'm going to hit the hay, but if you need to talk, I'm a scroll call away, squirt."

Expectedly, she didn't seem too pleased with his actions, but she made no move to pull away. He didn't know if any of his babbling took any effect, or helped his niece in any way, but he had learned that even just speaking to someone could help make a decision.

Who really knew anyway, Tai was the expert in that field, not Qrow.

"Goodnight, uncle Qrow." It had been the first she had spoken in some time, but the way she smiled at him as he crept up the stairs could make even wilted souls bloom.

"Goodnight, Ruby." With a final nod towards the young huntress, the dusty ol' huntsmen vanished upstairs and within a few moments, silence fell once more.

Now Ruby sat alone however, she didn't intend to stay that way. She knew that a certain blonde-headed leader still hadn't returned home, and she'd wait until that moment came before she finally allowed herself to rest.

They had quite a bit to talk about.

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**Welp, two more chapters to go! **

**Still, this was probably the hardest one to write, and that's with still the main event coming up. I adore RWBY and everything Roosterteeth has created, but damn if it isn't hard trying to expand events, such as RNJR and RWBY, while still keeping characters in . . . well, character.**

**In a shorter sense, Ruby is extremely hard to write for me, I'm still not 100% happy with this chapter even when it's been revised four times and posted.**

**Though I have to say; thank you all for the follows, favorites and reviews - I didn't expect for such a positive response for this story!**

**So again, thank you all.**


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